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North Vancouver Just Made It Legal To Drink In Select Public Places and Parks

Photo: Sonika Arora 604 / Flickr

North Vancouver has legalized drinking in some public places, so you can soon take a beer to the park.

To help the city bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic, North Vancouver voted on a few changes, in early June.

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“We are doing something that cities don’t usually do, which is being flexible, and adapting and I think that’s, that’s something that our residents will appreciate. I see this really as something that we’re doing to improve the quality of life in our city,” said Coun. Tony Valente.

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The municipality will allow beer, wine and spirits in public places, during certain hours.

Some of the public places that will allow drinking include:

  • Waterfront Park (but not around the children’s playground)
  • Victoria Park 
  • The civic plaza between City Hall and the library
  • Grand Boulevard
  • Ray Perrault Park
  • Kings Mill Walk
  • Shipbuilders Square
  • Cates Deck

This will be the first Canadian jurisdiction outside Quebec that allows public drinking.

North Vancouver has also temporarily removed vehicle lanes to make room for wider sidewalks and expanded patios, as the City of Vancouver has recently done.

Vancouver is currently debating legalizing drinks at parks and beaches as well. Meanwhile, Port Coquitlam is following North Vancouver’s lead.

For more Vancouver stories, head to our News section.

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